New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-29
BALZAC IN ENGLISH
INTELLECT AGAINST LOVE.

erts Brothera
The genius of Balzac is displayed most strk-
mely in the representation and analysis OF great
passions, but he has two strongly diferen ua'eo
modes of proceeding In one case he gives tine rem
to his fecund imagination and so lavlshes me-
color and action upon his canvas that III ID Win
difficulty the reader follows the lntrcacies I'll HIS
plot though the crowding of his scenes never 30
dissipate. his intended effects as to weaken the
vigor of the central characters or detract from 'ne
impressiyeress of their deeds and sufferings In
the ether case the author concentrates his powers
upon group and scarcely going outside OF IT,
often confirming himself to the fortune of single
family creates in that contracted space dramas 80
moving scenes So effective. characters 80 instinct
with life so swayed by masterful passion tnal 'no
histories remain with us as possessions iore'o,
and take place among the memories winch eAoee"
in permanence and completeness the mnemonic
records of objective vision.
In the second class the story last published IN
English by the Messrs Roberts properly belongs.
The history of Balthazar Claes Is indeed much
more than domestic tragedy; 1t Is the analysis
of dominant idea. But it is framed upon the
simplest lines. wealthy Flemish bourgeois has
an attraction toward the study OF chem
istry. pupil of Lavoisier, he has
gone fast and far in speculation.
it possible to discover the primal substance, the
true elementary matter ont Of which nature con-
sructs everything nfects ClaSs with the same dar-
irg and visionary faith Thenceforth he IS
changed man. Naturally lover husband, q de-
voted father proud of his beautiful home. the
shrine of q superb collection of art works IN all
kinds, the fatal quest to which he Is insensipiy
drawn transforms and degrades HIM lie buhds
laboratory which becomes the centre OF his exist
ence. Day by day he is more absorbed. more IN
different to wife and children, more reckless OF inc
future His experiments eat up his fortune but ne
continues to pour his into the aoyss ana
punges into debt without concern when his capltai
is exhausted. His tender wifes heart is broken at
last by the arrangement Once she succeeds In
winning him from his furnaces and retorts but the
mans soul is dedicated to the search for the Abso-
Int. and he pines and mopes tho moment he has
forsworn the adventure She percelves this and
sacrifices herself but her spirit is crushed by the
proof that science has conquered love in him, and
sbe falls into decline and dies leaving as legacy
to her eldest daughter Marguerite the protection OF
the other children, threatened with ruin by their
fathers over mastering passion.
. Marguerite CiaSs is a noble girl, one of the
masters finest creations. She loves and
reyeres her father; but she peroeives none
the less clearly that he has broken
her mothers heart and that if not resolutey With
stood he will reduce mis- family to desttuton For
tunately the young girl, so suddenly compelled 10
sit in jud gment upon her father and TO arbitrate
the destnies of her home is not only strong in her
self but is fortified by the unselish love Of pure
and high.minded youngman Through his counsel
and AID she succeeds in stemming the tide of ruin,
and finally in wrestling from Bathazar Claes the
control of the property still remaining to them.
He has promised that if his experiments do not
succeed within certain time he will yield himself
to her government When the period arrives he
has spent everything he could lay hands upon,
and has achieved nothing. Perforce he ieds, and
LAYING procured for him government office IN
distant province Marguerite sets herself to rehab-
itate the well-nigh ruined ClaSs estate In this
she succeeds and after some years Is able TO bring
back her father to the ancestral home. to whose
walls have been restored in great part the art treas
ures the carvings, the pictures the silVerware all
of which the nineteenth century alchemist had sac
rifced to the urgent needs of his hopeless quest.
But the ruling passion. though repressed during
his exile has not been without fruiton. Claes has
again become indebted for chemicals and apparatus.
Marguerite pays what he owes, and
once more he forswears the laboratory.
The daughter is married. Bathazar lives with
the Young couple For two three years all is
we'll. Then Marguerites husband is summoned
to Span on q question of succession, and she goes
with him. They are detained longer than they had
anticipated. They return TO find that IN their ADJ
sepce Balthazar has plunged anew into his quest
for the Absolute, and that he has literally stripp
the house of everything vendabe to minister to his
passion Almost at the moment OF Marguerites re-
turn an accident brings upon the infatuated al
chemist a fatal stroke of paralysis He lies speech
less for some days but the hope in his delusion is
tha last AuftarfnQ breath
raises himself In his bed, and calculating "Eureka"
falls back in death.
The psychical analysis of the book is full of sub
tlety and power. and of this no outline can afford
even a suggestion. The struggle between Bal
thazar and his wife is marvellous piece of insight
The love of the man is distinguished from that OF
the woman with the utmost nicely and precision.
Another passion, even with masculine soul OF
native nobility, is capable of overcoming OF smoth-
ering his affection for his wife. When the full slg-
n6cance of his changed behavior is pointed out to
him he is ashamed he repents, he aliases himself be-
fore his wronged partner But this return is sem
bance only. The man himself has passed beyond
the sphere Of love. The Intellect has
killed the Heart In him. 80 at every
endeayor TO re-establish their domestcity
the bonds of the home show weaker, the attraction
of science draws more peremptorily. Subtle too is
the analysis of the wifc's agony. In her there
appears divided duty. The habit of submission,
the cult of an almost devotional love for Bathazar
have untitled her for the terrible conflict in which
the claims of the husband clash 80 hopeessly with
those of the children. The latter cry out to
her mothers heart Save us from our fathers fatal
psssion!" The former incline her to sacrifice every
thing. not only fortune but life and hope, to the
happiness of her beloved She has not the strength
to fight the battle out. She can only die and pass
out of the agony, leaving to her daughter the ac-
complishment Of the task which had proved too
formidable for her.
With her death double change occurs. Baltha-
Ear, whose passion had blinded him 10 the bar
barity Of his treatment of his wife, was less likely
to hesitate in seizing and appropriating the for
tunes Of his children. They could not be to him